Slow and Steady Wins the Content Marketing Race

I had a great conversation with one of our clients today. They said something that really resonated with me:

“It doesn’t have to be perfect to get started.”

So true.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work that it can take to build and then execute on a marketing plan. And these days, content planning and execution plays a critical role in that, adding another layer of, well, work to the equation.

Keeping a blog up-to-date, writing articles to contribute to industry publications, developing whitepapers for lead generation, interviewing customers for case studies … these all take time, time that many marketing leaders just don’t have.

What’s more, some feel like they need to have an extensive plan and the best tools in place before they even begin.

It’s not true. We regularly encourage companies to start small and build on each success. If you don’t have time for a weekly or even biweekly blog, start with a monthly blog. (You have more to say than you think. Here are 10 blog post ideas.) Post to Twitter twice a week, if you don’t think you can do it every day.

Yes, a marketing plan is important, as is developing quality content in line with that plan and your marketing goals. When we work with our clients, we spend time getting to know them and their customers, and then create a plan for content that will resonate.

But while that foundation is being built, we can start to publish almost right away, a little at a time, chipping away at what can sometimes feel like an unending pile of work.

You have big plans, and you’re eager to execute and reap the rewards of your content. But it can take months to see website traffic rise, and for qualified leads to begin to flow reliably.

You have to start somewhere.

As our client also said today: “Take it a few yards at a time.”

Start with the projects you’re most excited about, giving them your full attention. When you’re done with one task, move on to the next. Slowly but surely, you’ll make your way to the finish line.